Jaipur: After the controversy over Aurangzeb, it’s Akbar who is in focus now.
Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade has claimed that several inaccuracies have been recorded in Indian history due to the influence of British historians. One of those, he said, was the widely-cited ‘story’ of the marriage of Mughal emperor Akbar with Jodha Bai.
The Governor, speaking at a programme in Udaipur, said there is no mention of Jodha and Akbar’s marriage in Akbarnama, reported PTI.
“It is said that Jodha and Akbar got married and a film was also made on this story. History books also say the same thing but it is a lie,” Bagade claimed.
“There was a king named Bharmal and he got the daughter of a maid married to Akbar,” Bagade said, rekindling the debate over the historical account of the marriage between Amer ruler Bharmal’s daughter and Akbar in 1569.
Amer, or Amber, was a Rajput kingdom near present-day Jaipur. The Kachwaha Rajputs ruled Amer, before Sawai Jai Singh II shifted the capital to Jaipur in 1727.
“The British changed the history of our heroes. They did not write it properly and their version of history was initially accepted. Later, some Indians wrote history but it was still influenced by the British,” the Rajasthan Governor stated.
He also contested the historical claim that Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap wrote a treaty letter to Akbar.
“Maharana Pratap never compromised with his self-respect. In history, more is taught about Akbar and less about Maharana Pratap,” Bagade claimed.
The Governor added that the situation is improving. “In the new National Education Policy, efforts are being made to prepare the new generation for future challenges while preserving our culture and glorious history,” Bagade said.
